Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-17
TEE HOLOCAUST.
Nineteen People Killed and Many
Injured in the Collision at ST..
Thomas, 0nt.
The Total Number OF Casualties Over
One Hundred-An Investigation as
TO the Cause to be Made.
The FriGhtful Explosion Followed 3,
Closely Upon the Collision that Few
Escaped Unipj urcd.

Closely Upon The Collision that Few
Escaped Unin jared.
DETROIT, Mich, July ia special
from st. Thomas, Ont, in relation to the
railroad disaster there yesterday places
the number of killed st nineteen and the
injured at above forty. After the col
lision occurred the passengers COM
menCed emerging from the car windows,
every available means OF egress being
taken advantage Of A majority OF the
passengers in the car next to the engine
have been got out. Engineer Connolly
was found in the cab with his hand on the
lever still as if endeavoring to make the
air-brdkes work To add additional
horror 10 the already sufficiently appalling
afair, the section of the freight train into
which the engine of the passenger train
plunged, consisted of two cars contain
ing tanks filed with crude oil and
a carload of barrels OF refined
oil, and almost before the passengers
heard the crash of the collision it was
allowed by a tremendous explosion
which could be heard for miles. a pyra-
mid of rel, tire and black clouds lowered
I'D in the air, ind in 8 moment sheets of
fire reached out Guo enveloped the cars,
dwellings and WAREHOUSES IN the vicinity.
The burning oil WAS scattered around IN
all directions, causing 8 loss Of c5V,UUO.
Herman Ponsford, of the fire departinent,
was literally enCircled by volume of
fire, and when the smoke cleared away
he was covered With flames. His ipju-
ries are horrible. He can not recover.
Engineer Berne of the Grand Trunk
Railroad, was q mass of flames His
clothing wss stripped from his body by
willing hands, and he was taken home in
g cab.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
ST. THOMAS, ONT, July lG-The total
number of casualties reported up to this
time is fully 100. No further deaths have
been reported. An investigation will be
had in regard to the cause of the acci-
dent. 1t is reported that the engineer
had been drinking, but 1t is claimed the
main Cause Of the disaster was the failure
of the air-brakes to work.
As soon as the crash came great confu-
sion arose, and the shrieks of the women
and children were heart rending. In g
moment the flames broke out. A B.
Rsmy and A. A Drake at once rescued
Mrs. King and Mrs. Wegg and their chill
dren through the windows, and others
also clsmbered through the windows.
Alex Watson, Grand Trunk Railway brs ke-
man, was blown up in the air by the ex-
plesion, and had his collar bone broken by
the fall.
It is now sscertsined that the victims
of yesterdays railway accident numbers
twelve as follows:
Mrs X. Smith and child,
S S. Frame and child,
S. G. Zealand and child,
Mrs. j. Boyle and three children,
Engineer Donnelly and
Hermann PonsfOrd, VINO died this
morning from his iDiuues.
Mrs. S. G. Zealand is probably fatally
injured. IN addition to those already re-
ported are the following: Mrs. McGiu-
mes, badly burned and ankle sprained.
Mrs. Throw, cut on the face and burned.
Alderman Cochran, both hands singed. A.
Musselmsn, neck burned. Mr.. Mckinney,
instep burned and bone of foot broken.
d. McNiChol, hands severely burned
Sarah Bowlley, hands burned. Con-
ductor Matlock, hands burned. R. San
deTs, hands burned. II. Smith, bruised
and burned. W. c. Alcott, hands, face
and arms scalded, +. Queenhesd, wrist
and neck burned Oriel Wood, badly
bruised, hand, back and neck burned.
Oscar Allen, wrists and hand sCorched.
W. F. Martin, badly burned about face
and hands. l. Comfort. both hands
burned while trying to save Hermann
BOnnsfOrd. Perry Van Houghton, Mich
igsn Central engineer, both hands burned.
7. L. Hoy, OF the Michigan Central, both
hands burned. Alexander Austin, of
the Grand Trunk road, engineer, shoulder
dislocated. Fireman Thomas Robinson,
badly burned about head. John Mcleod,
face and hands scorched. Harry BeVis,
legs burned. L. L. Bennett, both hands
burned. Fireman William FOote, badly
burned about the face and hands. Mr.
Gardner, badly injured in shoulder and
side. Mr.. Prettyman, run over by hose
reel and hurt about thigh, side and arms. /
superintendent Albert Cutson of ST. |
Thomas cemetery improvements, hands
badly burned. L. Ferguson, burned /
about head and bruised. Smith Forbes .
OF the Michigan Central Railway, burned /
about the face and hands. J. II. Mccall, /
run over by horse, one OF his /
legs was broken and he was also burned /
about the head and body. Mr.. Blumfelt |
and Miss Clark, were knocked down from /
the force OF the explosion and both Sc
verely bruised and slightly burned. Mr.. /
Barnes Of Segdon, was badly burned. /
John Mcclellan was burned on the back /
Of the neck and head. William Keith, /
arm severely burned and otherwise .
scorched. George Joyce, engineer Of |
Grand Trunk Road, severely burned on
back and hands. United States Consul .
Francis, was run over by hose cart and
injured about the mead.
George Moore, hands and face
Seven year old daughter
If w. j. Efers, severely burned
.bout the hands and face. Nelson God
rey, blacksmith, burned on the face and
lead. Donald Sinclair, both ears burned.
hr. NewComb, badly burned about the
leck and ears. Thomas Donerty, printer
4 the Journal Office, hands, eGrs and
leck badly burned. W. Il. Donaldson,
,sr and neck scorched. Robert Edgar,
Air Line fireman, hands burned.
\. Chudeley, shoemaker, badly bruised by
)eing run over by hose reel. Mrs
Arthur Mckinney, scorched about the
lands and face. George and frankie
Galley were on the street railway at time
# the explosion. The clothing of both
ads took fire ell it is feared they we're
stally burned, their faces, bands and
bodies being terribly scorched before
her clothing could be extinguished.
Little boy named Whitesen was severe
y burned. Deputy Registrar Clark was
)adly burned about the neck and other
wise. W. W DisEer a endeavo1ing to
escape at the lime # tn explosion tTipped
Ind fell severely utting one of his legs.
w McKau 8 frnit hanlnr 70 |